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| Friday, August 25, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
PM ‘should meet’ US Sikhs Universities in race to generate funds PCMSA
demands Kanjhla’s sack Rights panel indicts MC on pollution Tension in villages over land
grab ‘Kidnapped’ teacher breaks silence |
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2 senior DMC doctors retired Pre-arrest bail
extended Closed-circuit
TV opened at bus stand
Token system for DTO’s office
Mystery shrouds
worker’s death SSP cancels FIR against tenant Mysterious death of teenager Embezzlement of Rs 7 lakh detected Drug trafficker arrested
University told to admit candidate to course ETT teachers hurt in lathi charge Govt primary schools in ‘bad shape’ 
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PM ‘should meet’ US Sikhs NEW DELHI, Aug 24 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s Shiromani Akali Dal firmly believes that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee should have an interface with the prosperous Sikh community in the USA to remove their misgivings and rekindle the national fervour. The Sikh community in the USA and Canada has been feeling alienated for the last 16 years following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984 and the riots that followed. Sources in the SAD and discriminating leaders of the community maintain that little has been done by the leadership in New Delhi or the Indian Mission in Washington to counter the negative propaganda against this country by some disgruntled elements in the USA. Therefore, if Mr Vajpayee squeezed in a meeting with the Sikh community during his extended stay in the USA next month it might help in assuaging their feelings that they were not summarily being blacklisted and viewed as suspects. Such accommodation can contribute in bringing about a tremendous turnaround in their thinking towards the land of their birth. As of now Mr Vajpayee, whose programme is still being fine tuned, has no meeting scheduled with the influential leaders of the Sikh community in the USA. It is contended that if the Prime Minister can take out time to address religious leaders and their disciples in New York on September 9, he could consider having a meeting with the Sikh community in California during his stay in San Francisco. The issue of visas to the Sikh community in the USA and Canada and permitting their entry into this country has been highly controversial. They crave for some identity. Apart from finding some of these measures highly discriminatory, they have taken strong exception to doubting the bona fides of mostly everyone in the community. Union Minister of State for Mines and Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Vice-Chairman Tarlochan Singh have called on Union Home Minister L.K. Advani recently and impressed upon him to review the problem of issuing visas to the Sikh community living abroad especially in the USA and Canada. Mr Dhindsa and Mr Tarlochan Singh suggested that a special committee of eminent persons should be constituted to go through the blacklisted, suspected and
doubtful individuals with a toothcomb and remove the anomalies that have existed over the last 16 years. They emphasised it was against justice to blacklist hundreds of persons of the Sikh community. The NCM had also written a letter to the Home Ministry last month requesting it to make available the said list of blacklisted members of the Sikh community residing abroad for an appraisal. The Home Ministry adopted a stoic silence on the subject without assigning any reasons, it said. |
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State of higher education-III CHANDIGARH, Aug 24 — To give fresh impetus to the “vocationalisation of higher education”, an unprecedented phenomenon of signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between a university and one of its affiliate colleges has been introduced in Punjab this year. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, has signed a couple of such MoUs with some of its affiliate government-aided colleges in Jalandhar to introduce postgraduate courses in information technology and computer education. Interestingly, after the signing of these MoUs, the admission process, too, has been set in motion by these colleges. The mandatory sanction and clearance from both the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) for introducing these postgraduate courses are still to come. Sources reveal that the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has only permitted the Panjab University campus to introduce a postgraduate course in computer applications (MCA). Under the MoU, both the university and the college will share the revenue on a 50:50 basis. Half of the faculty will be appointed by the university and the other half by the college itself. What the fate of the students will be until recognition and clearance from the AICTE and the Union Human Resource Development Ministry are accorded is not known. At the same time, students joining these postgraduate courses, including MCA, are paying a substantial amount, running into lakhs of rupees for the two-year course. The fee and other charges collected from the students will be shared by the college concerned and the university on an equal basis. Although colleges affiliated to Panjab University and Punjabi University have also introduced the BCA and BMIT courses, none has the MCA course. Many of the students who have completed or are about to complete the BCA course are in a quandary about their future in the absence of any scope or chance for higher studies, (except the only authorised and approved MCA course offered by Panjab University). The “vocationalisation of higher education” policy of the Punjab Government, critics point out, lacks focus. It seems the only aim of this policy is to encourage “migration” without bothering about the future requirements of skilled and trained manpower in the state, they say. The confusion over the control of technical education and the “vocationalisation of higher education” in the state continues. There is still no clear demarcation as to which of these computer education and IT courses are technical and which are not. The universities of the state appear to be engaged in a mad race to generate financial resources on their own as the focus is more on money-spinning courses than on future expectations and the actual requirements of the state.
To be concluded |
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PCMSA
demands Kanjhla’s sack SANGRUR, Aug 24 — Members of the Sangrur district unit of the PCMS Association today held a rally at the local Civil Hospital and took out a procession in the town against Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Social Security Minister, Punjab, who had allegedly “misbehaved” with four women doctors at a special old age pension camp at Nadampur village a few days ago. The rally was addressed by Dr Baldev Sahota, Dr D.C. Sharma and Dr Surinder Singla, president, secretary and regional secretary of the Punjab unit of the PCMS Association, respectively, and Dr Darshan Pal, district president of the PCMS Association. They urged the Punjab Chief Minister to sack Mr Kanjhla from his ministry immediately and condemned his “misbehaviour” with the women doctors while on duty. They urged public especially women organisations to raise their voice against Mr Kanjhla. They also demanded public apology from Mr Kanjhla and threatened to paralyse health services not only in Sangrur district but also throughout the state on August 31. The association has also decided to hold demonstrations at subdivisional level against the minister on August 26 at Sunam, August 28 at Dhuri, August 29 at Barnala and August 30 at Malerkotla. Earlier in the day, the PCMSA representatives submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here demanding stern action against Mr Kanjhla. Meanwhile, a rally against corruption among the doctors was also organised by a number of persons today at the local Civil Hospital. Dr Darshan Pal and Mr Surinder Singla, both leaders of the PCMSA, alleged that the rally was organised by the supporters of Mr Kanjhla. They claimed that such a rally was a moral defeat of the minister if the same had been organised on the instructions of the minister. |
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Rights panel indicts MC on pollution AMRITSAR, Aug 24 — Indicting the local municipal corporation for having failed to fulfil its constitutional obligation to give citizens a healthy environment, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) in its landmark order has directed the government to take stringent steps against government agencies which have been causing pollution. The six-page order reads: “The commission is constrained to note that the Pollution Control Board is taking some steps in curbing pollution where it has been created by private agencies. But it is not so when it comes to government or semi-government agencies. “The pollution created by these agencies (government departments) is not any way less than that caused by pollution by private agencies. The government should be prepared to initiate strict action so that this persistent malaise is curbed and brought within parametres prescribed by law which is equally applicable to all,
whether private or official,” the order said. The order was passed on a complaint filed by the Pollution Control Committee, Amritsar, against the pollution caused by the sewage thrown into the Tung Dhab drain which also causes pollution in Pakistan. The flowing of sewage and other effluents has got international ramifications as the drain flows into the territory of Pakistan. In its earlier order past in October last, the PSHRC had stated: “Tung Dhab drain is highly polluted. So much so that there is danger of it creating an international problem because of objections raised by the Pakistan Government to the discharge of highly-polluted effluent into its territory. This has been reported by the Principal Secretary, Environment”. The commission in its latest order noted with constraint that the municipal corporation had failed to comply with its orders before January 6. “After a lapse of such a long time, the municipal corporation has still not finalised and submitted any concrete action plan duly time scheduled for the eradication of pollution form the drain and supplying of potable water to localities, worst-affected by this pollution”. Guru Nanak Dev University, Central Jail and Garrison Engineer etc are some of the government and semi-government agencies which have been discharging effluent into the drain. The order said a number of official agencies continued to be defaulters. With regard to Central Jail, it has been mentioned that the Administrative Department had taken up the matter with the Home Department. While Garrison Engineer was given a last chance to stop discharging effluent into the drain, a similar notice under provisions of the Water Act has been issued to Guru Nanak Dev University. However, the Pollution Control Board informed the PSHRC that the university had installed a treatment plant and opened a new outlet. The PSHRC pointed out that barring the installation of a deep tubewell at medical enclave and the process of boring one at Akash Avenue, the localities bearing the burnt of pollution like Mahal, Guru Amar Dass Avenue, Gumtala, Verka etc were yet to be included in this scheme of the corporation for providing potable water. The PSHRC directed the municipal corporation to take immediate steps for the removal of solid waste on a regular basis. It said: “The corporation has not done anything worthwhile to treat sewage and to provide a pollution-free environment to citizens except submitting the Ravi action plan to the Government of Punjab”. |
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Tension in villages over land
grab FEROZEPORE, Aug 24 — Tension prevails in at least two frontier villages, after the Border Security Force (BSF) denied permission to several farmers to visit their lands across the fence. Accusing the BSF of helping some affluent landlords, who are conspiring to grab their lands, the marginal farmers of Nihala Kilcha and Gandu Kilcha villages today assembled near the fence to register their protest. They charged the BSF guards of allowing some outsiders to work in the fields, they have been tilling for years. Armed with kerosene bottles, especially the women threatened to burn anyone allowed to encroach upon their lands. The resentful villagers also alleged that the revenue record of their lands has been tampered with to help the outsiders. The Opposition Congress leader, Major Harminder Singh Bhullar, also visited the site and extended legal and moral support to the agitating farmers. However, the situation was diffused after the BSF Company Commander, Inspector J.R. Sabharwal, assured the agitated farmers that he will not allow any outsider to cross the fence. He tried to pacify them saying, they will allow permission to the cultivators, only after the revenue record was rectified. While the BSF claims that they are following the revenue record to allow the actual cultivators of these lands to cross the fence, the villagers allege that the “girdawris” have been altered to favour some outsiders. The Lambardar of Gandu Kilcha, Mr Bhag Singh, lamented that spate of complaints to the revenue authorities for rectifying land records have yielded no results. At least 10 farmers had earlier approached the Punjab Human Rights Commission and the Deputy Commissioner for justice. These lands, an area of more than 300 acres, were affected by floods in 1988. Subsequently, some outsiders allegedly had the “girdawris” changed in their favour. This had eclipsed the future of about 200 families, who rely on these lands for living. Another round of troubles broke out, when these farmers saw several outsiders tilling their fields across the fence on August 12 and 13. Subsequently, the villagers pressed upon the BSF not to allow the outsiders to work in their fields. However, the BSF expressed its inability to stop them. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mr D.P.S. Kharbanda said such complaints were often received from farmers, who had lands beyond the barbed wire which men often flooded. He assured to verify the allegation of tampering of revenue records and made it clear that the actual cultivator cannot be denied access to his land by the BSF. |
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‘Kidnapped’ teacher breaks silence PATIALA, Aug 24 — Sanaur Government Senior Secondary School teacher Poonam Oberoi, who had disappeared from Haridwar on July 22 and was traced from Shahabad Markanda on August 19, today broke her silence on the entire episode which had agitated the teacher community of the district by claiming that she had been kidnapped and let off by miscreants, following which she remained incognito as she had become depressed by the “mishap” which had occurred with her. In an exclusive talk with TNS at her residence at New Mehar Singh Colony here, Poonam Oberoi , who is an MA M.Ed qualified teacher , said she had developed a suicidal frame of mind after being abandoned by her kidnappers on the road in front of Geeta Bhavan in Rishikesh. She said she felt a “mishap” had occurred with her due to which she did not want to come back home to Patiala . Poonam had gone to Haridwar along with a group of girls of her school to attend a scout camp . She was kidnapped from Har ki Pauri in the late evening of July 22 a few hours before she complained against few persons who had ‘“teased” girls under her charge. Poonam and the girls had stayed on in the evening at Har ki Pauri to watch the display of lights. The school teacher said she had been kidnapped from Har ki Pauri, after two of the miscreants who had “teased” girls under her charge earlier and three others made her unconscious by making her smell something forcibly. She said she lost track of time and found herself on the road in front of the Geeta Bhavan at Rishikesh. She said she had taken the help of an old man to get back to Haridwar . She said she first sold her gold chain at Haridwar following which she took a train for Ambala after staying the night in the city. Poonam said she phoned her parents and another friend in Patiala from Ambala but could not muster the courage to talk to them. She said she was able to talk to another friend Harpreet, who told her the “various theories about her disappearance which were doing the rounds in the city”. Poonam said as she did not want to come to Patiala after the incident, which had happened with her , she called up her friend Bittu Walia in Patiala and asked for help. She said Bittu Walia asked her to reach Shahabad, where he had a friend, saying she could stay there for some time. She said Bittu reached Shahabad and put her up in the house of an acquaintance. She said Bittu was largely responsible for her coming back to Patiala Poonam gave vent to her anger at allegations being hurled at her by the leader of the Scout camp troupe Assistant Education Officer. She said she had given a full account of the facts told to TNS to a team of Haridwar cops who questioned her yesterday as well as the local police. Meanwhile, Poonam’s father Balwant Singh Oberoi stated that two of the persons who had kidnapped his daughter could be recognised by members of the Ganga Sewa Samiti as well as the local police Station House Officer there, as Poonam had complained against them earlier in the evening of July 22. He said the Haridwar police was now claiming that it did not know the names of these two persons nor their addresses. |
2 senior DMC doctors retired LUDHIANA, Aug 24 — Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here has retired and relieved from service, two senior doctors after finding them guilty on different counts. The decision to this effect was taken by the governing board of the Dayanand Managing Committee at its meeting on August 22. Confirming the decision the Principal, Dr S.C. Ahuja, said the college had instituted an inquiry against Dr A.S. Khurana, Professor and Head, ENT Department, and Dr Kuldeep Singh, a Reader in the Department of Surgery, for different charges. Dr Khurana was charged with taking inducements from students to get them through in the examinations. The inquiry was ordered following the publication of a report in The Tribune on July 13 last. The matter was raised by the final year students who in a written complaint to the Principal, alleged that Dr Khurana had taken some inducements from certain students to allow them to copy in the examinations. Dr Kuldeep Singh was relieved after the inquiry report found him guilty of running his own nursing home. While the DMC allows its doctors private practice, none of the doctors is allowed to run his own nursing home. It is not for the first time that the DMC management has taken stern action against its employees, particularly senior doctors. Only a few years ago, the management had removed a senior professor from the headship, demoted him as a lecturer and also debarred him from conducting any examination, after charges of corruption were established against him. |
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Pre-arrest bail
extended PHAGWARA, Aug 24 — The interim pre-arrest bail of Math and Gurdwara leaders of Hadiabad was today extended till August 31. District and Sessions Judge Kapurthala Gurdev Singh had handed over the case to Additional Sessions Judge Jagroop Singh who extended the interim bail of nine leaders including seven belonging to Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Managing Committee and two to Swami Shankar Nath Parbat Math Committee. They included Sukhwinder Singh Kamboj. MP Singh, Ashok Uppal, Ram Kumar Chadha. The local police had registered against them case of rioting, attempt to murder, assault on officers on duty etc after the mob had indulged in brickbating at Hadiabad on August 2 following the flare-up of a tension brewing since long over the issue of a dry tank adjoining two religious places of two principal communities. |
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Closed-circuit
TV opened at bus stand JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — Following increased threat from terrorists and anti-national elements, the police here yesterday inaugurated closed-circuit television system for the security of bus stand. Inaugurating the system, Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP said that in this system eight cameras have been fitted at vantage points of the entire bus stand and through different cables these have been connected to the central monitoring unit where a security officer can view activities going on all around the place. He can also, if required, record the movements of suspicious persons on a video cassette with the help of a VCR a part of the system. In addition a sound system has been installed by which the security in charge can pass instructions to the checking staff or general public at as per requirements. In case of specific information he can make announcement on the public address system. Mr Yadav said that leading transporters have come forward to contribute to the costs of the system. He added that even private operators could take help from this system to keep watch over their buses and staff. Mr Yadav said 12 leading transporters came forward to bear the cost of the system which were Rs 1.20 lakh. |
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Badal visits Nusrat
Ali Khan at PGI CHANDIGARH, Aug 24 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs, apart from the Union Sports Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, today went to the PGI to enquire after the health of Mr Nusrat Ali Khan. Mr Khan was injured in a road accident some days ago. |
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Gujral to lay stone
of cultural centre JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral will lay the foundation stone of a cultural centre in the premises of the district library on August 25. Mr K. Shiva Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, said a function in this connection will be presided over the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, while Mr Kartar Singh Duggal, Rajya Sabha, MP will the guest of honour. The cultural centre will be set up a cost of Rs 2 crore. |
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100 examined at camp PATIALA, Aug 24 — Patiala Divisional Commissioner Robin Gupta today inaugurated a free medical check up camp organised by the Shri Krishna Seva Dal in which more than 100 patients were given medicines on the spot . A team of doctors checked patients for various ailments at the camp held on the occasion of local festival Guga Naumi . Former Punjab Minister Randhir Singh Cheema gave away mementos the team of doctors who had checked patients at the camp . Mr Gupta urged the organisations to contribute towards the cause of humanity.
JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — Lt-Gen Kamal
Davar, GOC 11 Corps and Commandant 86 Armoured Regiment, visited the regiment somewhere in the northern sector today. The general was received by the Commandant Colonel
N.S. Bawa, and briefed on the regimental matters. The general addressed a special sainik sammelan and urged all rnaks to be always fully prepared for operations at short notice and highlighted the importance of technical and tactical proficiency. The colonel of the regiment expressed satisfaction with the preparations and standards of the regiment. |
Token system for DTO’s office JALANDHAR Aug 24 — With a view to streamlining the functioning and lessening queues of people waiting for licences and registration certificates of vehicles at the local office of the District Transport Officer, the District Administration has decided to introduce token system at the place within a week. The system, which involves installation of monitor at the office, showing the token number of the applicant or a visitor on a first-come-first-serve basis, will enable the Transport Department authorities to dispose of the cases pertaining to learning licences, cash deposits and registration certificates of vehicles quicker. The new system which will start functioning within a day or two is expected to benefit people and offer a great deal of relief to those, who had to wait in queues in the open for hours together for their turn for getting work done in the office. At present, a large number of people, who visit the DTO office face a number of problems, primarily due to lack of proper management on the part of the authorities concerned and due to shortage of staff. According to official estimate, nearly 100 persons visit the office daily for procuring learning licences alone, in addition to this same number of people come to the office for getting registration certificates of new vehicles, the monthly figure of which touches the 2000. The major problem is that the office, which is dogged by a shortage of staff, is not equipped to cope with the increasing volume of work. Mr K. Shiva Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, said to help people and to reduce hassles for them, a number of changes have been envisaged for ensuring better functioning of the DTO’s office. He said a major part of the problem would be solved after the introduction of the token system. “Actually, an electronic monitor is being installed at one of the windows, on which the officials will display the token number and accordingly the person having that number will be able to deposit his fee or collect his or her licence. This will help people in a way that they won’t have to stand and wait in a queue all the time,” said Mr Prasad. Besides this, the number of clerks in the office has also been increased by the administration from six to nine, against the actual requirement of 24 such officials. To meet the shortage of staff, nearly 6 officials have been taken from other department for putting on duty in the DTO’s office, said Mr Prasad. He said another major change, which could result in lessening of workload, was the plan to introduce a new system, under which the vehicle dealers would be allowed to get new vehicles registered on behalf of the buyers. |
Mystery shrouds
worker’s death AMRITSAR, Aug 24 — Mystery shrouds the death of Ambika Parshad, a migrant from Uttar Pradesh who had been living in the Arjan Nagar locality in the Chheharta area of Amritsar for the past 15 years. Ambika Parshad died on August 14, four days after he sustained a head injury. He was admitted to a private hospital in an unconscious state by two unknown persons. He was shifted to his residence when he regained consciousness but later died there. He has left behind his pregnant wife and four minor sons — the eldest working in a factory and the second as a shop assistant in Partap Bazar. The SSP, Mr Parampal Singh Sidhu, said yesterday that the matter was brought to his notice by a CPI leader, Mr Satyapal Dang. The police has started investigations after registering a case. However, when and where the deceased sustained the injury is still a mystery. His widow and other relatives alleged that he received the injury while working in the factory and his bicycle, slippers and lunch box were missing. The SSP said the post-mortem report of the deceased revealed that the death was due to a head injury. Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 persons held a demonstration outside the factory yesterday demanding action against the factory owner. Mr Dang said Ambika Parshad had told his wife that he had been hurt in the factory and had received an injury on his head. Mr Dang said some residents of the area met him and brought the facts to his notice. He told them to report the matter to the police. Factory workers told a deputation of the residents that the deceased was absent for the past two days. Mr Dang said when his relatives, including the widow, met him they told him that neither of the two police stations — Islamabad and Chheharta — were ready to register a case as each took the position that the case must be reported at the other police station. According to the employer, Ambika Parshad had not come to the factory for the past five days and no accident had taken place in their area. |
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SSP cancels FIR against tenant GURDASPUR, Aug 24 — In compliance with the orders passed by the Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC) on an FIR lodged against one Mrs Raj Rani of Gurdaspur and her two daughters, the SSP Gurdaspur, Mr Varinder Kumar, today admitted to having cancelled the FIR and the action initiated against the DSP and SHO concerned. The PHRC, in its order, had disposed of the matter in March last year and had held that the complainants, Raj Rani, and her daughters, one of then named Vimi, had indeed been harassed and a false case registered against them. Further, the commission had held that the Sub Inspector had acted under the
influence of the DSP and had behaved in a high-handed and illegal manner. The commission had, therefore, recommended the transfer of the SHO concerned to another district and disciplinary action against him while recommending penal action against those police officials who had accompanied the SHO. It recommended that DSP Rakesh Kaushal, who had ‘misused’ his influence, should also be proceeded against by his department. The PHRC observed that Mrs Raj Rani and her two daughters were tenants in a house for nearly 25 years and it was purchased allegedly by one Kiran Sharma from the previous owner, Lalita Pal, on June 1, 1998. The previous owner had filed an ejectment application against her tenant, Raj Rani, on account of arrears of rent. The application was first dismissed on November 14, 1995, and the second one in March, 1998. The PHRC established that a clear history of litigation and dispute existed between owner and tenant. The PHRC also took particular note of the fact that the new owner, Kiran Sharma, was reportedly related to a BJP leader of the city and the wife of Mr Ajay Kaushal, brother of the DSP, Mr Rakesh Kaushal. DSP Kaushal was on leave from September 21 to 23, 1998, whereas an application was given by the DSP to the SHO on September 23 regarding the alleged refusal to allow him entry into a room by the tenants. The PHRC noted that extraordinary promptness was shown by the SHO concerned, who took a posse of 10-15 policemen and raided the house on the evening of September 24. Raj Rani and her daughters repulsed the moves of the policemen and attacked them in the presence of other supporters of the new landlord. A case was immediately made out against Raj Rani and her two daughters and they were arrested and released on bail that very day. A case against them was registered under Sections 353/5+332/186/34 of the IPC. The PHRC noted that the show of force by the SHO was meant to intimidate the tenants and favour the DSP’s relative. The commission observed that no solid grounds for a case could be made out against the complainants, who were victims of police high-handedness. The commission recommended withdrawal of the FIR and serious action against the DSP and SHO concerned. |
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Mysterious death of teenager PHAGWARA, Aug 24 — A teenaged boy Jaswant Singh of nearby village Lakhpur died this morning in mysterious circumstances. The boy was taken to a private hospital here where he died after sometime. Villagers alleged that the boy was killed by injecting poison. However, local DSP Satinder Singh, who visited Lakhpur along with village sarpanch Piara Singh, Market Committee Chairman Sarwan Singh Kular, denied that any poisonous injection had been given to the boy. The boy died of poison but it had to be investigated whether he had consumed poison himself, said the DSP. The DSP presented before reporters a migrant worker Shiv who stays at the house of Jaswant Singh and was first to spot him frothing in the fields. The bhayia “denied the injection story” and said Jaswant had just told him that he was feeling to be in a stupor. The circumstantial evidence also proves that no injection was given to the youth, asserted the DSP. However, boy’s father Satinder Singh said his son told him he had been injected poison. It was learnt from villagers that Jaswant Singh (18) and the only son of his parents, was going to fields and got lift on somebody’s cycle. He was found lying at his farm in bad condition with froth coming from his mouth. He was rushed to a private hospital where he died after sometime. The body had been shifted to local Civil Hospital for a post- mortem examination. Dr Buta Ram Gill, Chief Medical Officer, set up a three-member board of doctors for the post-mortem examination. |
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Embezzlement of Rs 7 lakh detected GURDASPUR, Aug 24 — While a case of embezzlement to the tune of Rs 60 lakh in the district Agriculture Department with regard to installation of 18 deep tubewells is still being investigated, a new case of embezzlement amounting to Rs 7 lakh in the same department has been detected by the district Vigilance Bureau. The persons involved in both cases are suspected to be the same. According to official sources, the district
Agriculture Department has a farm measuring 25 acres at Talwandi Lal Singh in Batala subdivision. A proposal was made to cover the farm with fencing and
underground pipes. A team of vigilance officers visited the farm in July this year and found that neither the underground pipes had been laid in the farm nor had fencing been done. Payment to the tune of Rs 6.03 lakh had been made for this purpose during March, 1999. The sources said that the department had a soil testing laboratory at Pathankot, where a boundary wall was to be erected and a pumping set had to be installed at a cost of Rs 1.15 lakh. The source said that though the payment for these works had been made, no work has been carried out so far. The orders for the said work were issued in 1996. However, part of the material has started pouring in at the site to avoid action against the erring officials of the department. The work was given to M/S Competent Engineers of Pathankot, who allegedly received the bills in connivance with the department officials but did not execute the work. |
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Drug trafficker arrested JALANDHAR, Aug 24—The district police today arrested a drug trafficker and found 16 kg of charas worth Rs 1.5 lakh from his possession. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said the contraband was recovered from an apple box being carried by Ghulam Bhatt, a resident of Pulwama in Kashmir. He was arrested during a special checking of buses by the police near Quereshian village. He said a Delhi-bound bus was stopped by a police party headed by DSP Jatinder Singh, and all passengers were asked to alight including the accused who was carrying the wooden apple box. After the first layer of apples was removed, the police party found two plastic packets containing 16 kg of charas. The accused told the police that he had bought the contraband from Jammu for Rs 20000 and was going to hand it over to his Panipat-based contact for Rs
60000. |
University told to admit candidate to course CHANDIGARH, Aug 24 — Holding as illegal the action of Punjabi University and other respondents in admitting a candidate lower on the merit list, Mr Justice R.L. Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed them to admit the petitioner to the post-graduate diploma course for computer application for the next session. In his petition, Mr Avtar Singh had earlier stated that respondent, Mr Paramjit Singh, was selected even though he was lower on the merit list. Seeking directions to the respondents to declare him successful, he had also asked for quashing the selection of other candidates lower on the merit list. Delivering the verdict, Mr Justice Anand observed: “The course was for one year, which is already complete. In these circumstances, it will be unfair on the part of the High Court to disturb the admission of Paramjit Singh”. The Judge ruled: “The petitioner has to be accommodated. Therefore, directions are given to the respondents to give admission to the petitioner in the said course for the 2000-2001 session”. In his detailed order, the Judge explained: “The relief has been given to the petitioner to do justice to him as a wrong has already been done to him by the respondents”. |
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ETT teachers hurt in lathi charge SANGRUR, Aug 24 — Unemployed ETT teachers were injured in a wild lathi charge at a ‘sangat darshan’ programme of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, at Gaga village near Lehragaga, 40 km from here today. Five of the injured ETT employees were treated at the Lehragaga Civil Hospital. One of them was referred to the Sangrur Civil Hospital. The trouble reportedly began when the agitating ETT teachers raising slogans against the recruitment of B.Ed teachers on ETT posts were changed by the police. The police also resorted to a mild lathi charge. However, officials denied that the ETT teachers were lathi-charged. Earlier, a deputation of the ETT teachers met the Chief Minister regarding their demands, but the Chief Minister apparently failed to give them a satisfactory response. They came out and joined their colleagues in slogan raising. According to the police, they threatened to gherao the CM’s car and hence had to be chased away. Talking to TNS late this evening, Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, Sangrur, said the Lehragaga police had registered a case against some ETT teachers but no one had been arrested so far. |
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Govt primary schools in ‘bad shape’ HOSHIARPUR: The Dasuya Vikas Manch has found that conditions in government primary schools in the Dasuya area are deplorable with the authorities ignoring the plight of the students. Mr Apar Singh Ghuman, who is a retired Commandant of the BSF and is at present engaged in social service, said a team of the manch recently visited government primary schools in Bajwa, Safdarpur, Poosan, Passi Bet, Jand, Polian, Kullian, Saglan, Dugri and Usman Shahid villages besides five schools in Dasuya town and found that various facilities in these were “poor”. The accommodation in almost all schools visited by the team was utterly “inadequate and in bad shape”. There were just two rooms for five primary classes in most of the institutions. There was overcrowding, classes were being held in the open and the children were forced to sit on kutcha, uncovered floors. In many cases extensive repairs to the buildings were required. There were rat holes inside classrooms, roofs had collapsed and windows and doors were broken. He said that due to an inadequate drainage system and low level of compounds, water from lanes accumulated on the premises of certain schools. Almost all buildings were without electricity. Mr Ghuman said in all schools there were no proper toilet arrangements for girl students and women teachers. No funds were being received to get broken furniture repaired and for the purchase of chalk, registers, etc. Most of the classrooms were without blackboards. Some of the institutions were without a boundary wall or barbed wire fencing. Animals often entered the premises, creating unhygienic conditions. There were no recreational facilities for the children in any of the schools visited by the manch team. Mr Ghuman wondered where the funds allocated for these schools were going. He said the manch had written about the problems of the school students to the Punjab Chief Minister. It had requested the Chief Minister and the Education Minister to personally inspect these institutions and issue orders for making the necessary improvements. He said if students in villages were to compete with those studying in the urban areas much more needed to be done to improve the lot of the former. |
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